Method of sinking concrete columns, piers, and the like.



K C. B.- GHRISTIANSEN. l METHOD OF SINKlNG CONCRETE COLUMNS, PIERS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLIGATIELI'ILED DBG.17, 1909 Paiented Feb. 7, 1911.

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UNITED ,STATES 'PATENT OFFICE, V

cnnrsrrnn B. cHnisTANsEN, oF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD or sINxING concurra coLUuNs, rinus, AND' THE LIKE.

1 l Specication of Letter'sIPate-nt. n Patented Feb.7, 1911. Application led `December 17, 1909. lSerial No.1.' 533,551..`

,To all whom it mag/rcone'm:

l'Be it known that I, ACHRISTIAN B. Cinnermn'snig a citizen of the ,United States, and

resident et; the borough of Brooklyn', county l 5d ofKings, city and 4Statevot NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improve- "ments c"in Methods of Sinking Concrete Columns, Piers, and the Like, of'which the olliving isa complete specilication, reference being had therein to the accompanying Figure is a diagrammatic view showing my improved method .of sinking a pier, the pier beineshown in "longitudinal vertical section; and Fig. -2 a horizont/al sectional View 'of the lower end of the pier. f

The main (abject of this invention 'is`to y pivevide an ilmpoved method of sinkin con crete piers, columns and the like in so t maf terial and more especially under water'where l the bottom is sandy, oiof soft mud and the like. I.Many efforts have been made tosolve this problemall of wliichvhave resulted in 'failure or have been so extremely 'costly as to cause their abandonment. The only suc-V cessful method of sinking concrete piers or `columns heretofore used has been bymeans of closed caissons'tted with .the usual' air locks and air chamber at its lower'end, the .work ofV excavation under the vpi'r being done by workmen in the air chamber." This method is extremely costly and is im ractical for-*small piers and columns. T e use of small concrete Lpiers and columnsand even of concrete piles has been more or 'less restricted because of the .difficulty and expense ofsinking saidxlevices to asuilicient4 depth to give them 'a suitable foundation. By my method the piers and the like may be sunk to any desired depth until a hard' and suitable foundation is reached.

In carrying ont my improved method I employ a concrete pier or column 1 formed with a vertical longitudinal aperture or channel 2 therethrough from end to end. At the lower end of this column is formed an enlarged base or foot the under surface` d of which is -concaveforming ay chamber t thereunder. The lower 'edgesof the'pier :may be protectedjingany suitable manner, if desired. The coluiniign'iay also be reinforced by means ofryertical" rods 5a`nd horizontal rods v( of metaLfif desired, and this rein. l forcement` may be located at the lower end of the column, as shown' in the drawing,.or

it may bey extended throughout any length of the-column desir-ed.. 'It is, of course, toI

be understood that the column may be guided in`its Avertical movement by means of any suit/able foriuofsupprt, such as the support 7, indicated in Fig. l. It is also to b e understoodY that as lthe column sinks it is to be extended .vertically bybuilding .thereon or adding thereto mea-ns.4 I f Connected to the upper end of the aperture -2 of .the pier is a suction pipe 8 which is connected to a suction pump 9located at by any suitable an suitable point and driven by any suit-' ab e power. This suction pump may discharge at any 'point desired', but will preferably-"discharge the exhausted materialv around the outer side of the pier. Located at any suitable point is a force pum l0 by means of which a jetof water unc er any suitable degree of pressure will be delivered through a -nozzle 1l at the lower edge of the pier, said jet being directed downwardly and inwardly under the ier to loosen the niaterialer'ound and un er the same. As many of .these'jets as are found desirable may be employed, all 'of them preferably. 'i inelining downwardlyand under the pier.

The' purpose ofthe cavity 4 under the pier is to provide a chamber into which the inateria-1 loosened by the jet may accumulate by reason of the pressure of the weight of the pier on the surrounding material of the bottom. y

The operation of my improved method is obvious, but may be brieHy described as follows: The ,lower end of the pier is first niolded of any desired length. If-itY is to be'used` in under-water construction it is preferably of such a length as to reach above the Water level while resting on the bottom. Suitable means are provided for guiding the column and hcldingfit. in a true vertical position.

lProper provision is made for extendin the column y molding thereon additiona seetions as the work progresses and thecolumn sinks. When the suction pump. is properly connected to the central aperture` at the upper end of the pier Water and sand, and mud may be suckedup Vthrough the saiil central aperture from the cavity 4 under the pier.

The jet" 11V will .loosen the material 'directlyI under the ier 'and drive it into the cavity 4 l from whic it will be exhausted by' the suction pump. It will, therefore, be -seen that. I provide an Vextremely simple method of sinking piers, columns, piles and the like in losI any material that maybe loosened by means r of'jets and withdrawn from below the pierby means of a suction pump. The material' drawn fromunder the pier may-be deposited around the pier onthe outer side` thereof to assist in iving the piera firm su port.

It is, o course, to be understoo that I do not wish -to be limited in any respect as to i the shape, size or construction of tl le pier or column, and also that I do not wishto be limited as to the means employed .for eX- hausting the material through the pier orv to any particular form of jet for loosening the material underthe pier as these features of my invention may be varied withinthe scope of my invention.

/ p" fl-laving thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure hy Letters Patent is:

1. The method of sinking piers, columns and the like consisting in loosening the material around ,and under the pier by means of a jet applied 'outside of the pier and properly directed 'thereunder and then suckingv the loosened material away from the pier.

2. The method of sinking piers, columns and the like consisting in loosenin the materialfunder the pier by means o jets applied outside of the pier and directed under the same, and removing the loosened matev rial upwardly through the pier.

3. 'lhe'inethod of sinking piers, columns and the like consisting in looseninvr the material under the pier by means -o jets applied outside of the pier and directed there- .underfand then sucking the loosened material.; upwardly through the pier.

The method of sinking concrete piers consisting in firstforming the pier with a cavity in its under. side and a vertical channel extending therethrough from end to end piers, columns andthe like consisting in first suitable length and having a longitudinal and opening at its lower end into said cavity, directing a jet'of water under said pier from theV outer side.to loosen the material thereunder and direct itinto thecavity, and

then sucking the loosened material from said cavity upwardly through the column or pier and extending thelcolumn by adding to its upper end as the said column sinks;

5. The method of sinkingand building forming a'section of the column or pier of 'a jet applied outside o aperture therein, resting the' lower end` of .said column -on the ground into it is ltobe sunk, applying a' jet to. the j y nd on which the column rests to loose material upwardly through the colurii'and adding to th;l length thereof as the-column concrete columns consisting in nning a? section of the column of suitable -length :o extend `from the ground .to'.a point above mate--` g rial'under the4 column, sucking the lclj ened ,o

e.- 'T-h'e method of., sinking4 an? 'haastig water level and having a longitudinal apere ture therein, then loosening tne material around and under the colum'n by means of .a

jet properly directed, sucking the loose-red v material upwardly through the column, and

then adding to the length thereof as vthe coll umn sinks.A

7. The method of sinking and building concrete columns consisting 1n rst formlng ,a section of the column of-suitable lengt-h and having a longitudinal aperture extending from end to end thcreo, restinthe lower end of the column on the groun into .which itis to be sunk, loosening the material around and lunder the columnv by means of ,f the column, then sucking the loosened material upwardly through the column, and adding to the length thereof as the columnsinks.

aroundand under the column y means of a' jet applied outside of the column and propf erly directed thereunder, sucking the loosened material upwardly through the aperture in the column and molding additional seci tions on the upper end ofthe column as the column sinks. A

In testimony whereof l hereunto aihx my signature in the presence of two witnesses this 14th day of December 1909.

CHRISTIAN B. CIIRISTIANSEN' Witnesses WM. R. Davis, F. R. MILLER. 

